Lamp holder for pin base tubular lamps



April 4, 1950 A. A. RICHARDSON LAMP-HOLDER FOR PIN BASE TUBULAR LAMPS INVENTOR. '7m-uwe 37. F/cHr/Rnsw 4 T TOPNEY Filed March 9, 1948 Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES :PAT-ENT OFFICE LAMP HOLDER FOR PIN` BASE TUBULAR LAMP Arthur A. Richardson, Edgewood, R. I.,y assigner StofHarryM. Bur-tand Guy H. Burt, doing' busi- .ness Vas .The Lloyd Products Company,v Providence, R; :1.

lAlpplicationfMarch. 9, 1948, Serial No. 13,819 iifolaims. (C1. 173-328) l lThis invention Arelates -t'o` lamp holders `for -pin base tubular lamps. fMore particularlythein- `vention pertains to -lamp`l1olders which are adapted to individually-"supportandfsupply power to theends of an electric illuminating device such as a `fluorescent'lampbycoaction withthe projecting contact pins onthe endsthereof.

The lamp holder 'is characterized by its-ability 'to swing tovvvards'and-'away {from'ari end of the 4fluorescent'l'amp and bythe presence-of ra bias- `ing mechanism for urging 4the lamp holderinto coupling engagement with the projecting contact pins. Lamp holders of th-isgeneralcharacter arefshown and described injUnited v'States 4Letters Patent No. 2,403,968 issuedto \Charles E. Dansereauon June 16, 1946.

It is an object of the'presentiinvention topprovide a lamp holder of the character described I-which'is an improvement'over thelamp holders shown in they aforesaidLettersPatent.

More specifically, itis anobject ofthe present invention toprovide` a lamp holder of thefcharfacter described which isio'fstubbyfc'onguration being thereby adapted to be employed/inl a shallow space wherein `a lamp holder with Aan felonv gated body suchasshowniin Seidl-.letters lPatent will not t.

In the above lconnectionpitisvan `ancillary object of my invention'toprovide =af lamp holder 'of the `character describedz-Which :is .adapted to be mounted directly on asurface :facedby an end of the lamp, rather thanona surface above yor belowthe lamp (it being assumed that :the 'lamp Ais, horizontally disposed as iis the lamp f holder shown insaidLetters Patent) vlt is another object of thefinvention vto'provide a lamp holder `of the .character @described .which comprises ivery few parts, although the `same `is of .a strongy and .durable-construction.

More particularly, lit is kan object of the ,inn

-vention to provideta lampi-holder ofthe character described Iin which thevarious -parts Lare so constructed iastto perform Adual 'functions so that,

althoughthe lamp'holder has all ofthe zrequisite operating characteristics of the .lamp holder shown and described in.saidfLettersPatent it has less parts.

In general alamp holderof the type .shown and described'in said LettersrPatent includes -ve dify-ferent kinds of parts, each having'itsownsfunc- A.

tion. There are: la support member `whichsis `designed to be mounted `-on .an .electric xtureV or the like, a vsocket member v'which zis designed 'to f receive l,the lamp pins,va ,piv.otingI meansicr pivot- .;fally attaching the socket :member v,tothe sup- 12 port member, contact means designed toengage ther'larnp' pins, e and aj biasing means for resilientlyrilrging the socket member toward the lamp.

According to a feature of Tthe present invention, the functions of certain of these parts are cornbined. More specifically, a lampi holder -according to the present invention has mating portions of the socket and support members acting asl-the `pivoting means, jand incorporates the function of the-biasingmeans'in the contact means.

It is a more limited-object ofthe inventionto provide a lampholder ofthe-character described in `which the support and socket members arefso constructed'that they can be pivotally intertted, #and in which the contact `means 'look said vtwo members together against anyrelative movement except the desired pivotal one.

It is yetranother object of the vinvention `to vprovide allampvholderfof thecharacter described 1in lwhich the supportlandv socket y.members and `the contact means, :despite theirA multiple functions, can be assembled rwith ease `and by comparatively unskilled labor.

*It is .a further object'of the invention to pro- 'vide a lamp holder of the character described in which `the different .parts are of rvcomparatively simple constructionvso thatthe lamp holder `can be manufactured and sold a't-afl'ow cost.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a lamp holdenof thecharacter described which will simplify wiring and assembly of telectric fixtures.

.It'is -yet a iurthero'bject ofthe invention to prouvde a ,lamp `holder .of theicharacter described Vinwhich the contact fmeans actsiasfa strainrelief.

It is still afurtherrobject of'the'inventionto provideia lamp holderfof-lthe character described yin which the lamppins vcan be inserted :andremoved easily.

Other objects of fthe invention lwill .in Ypart :be -obvious and Ain `part will bespointed -outfhereinfafter.

The invention .accordingly consists .in the features `of construction, `combinations .of ele- '.mentsgzan'd:arrangements of Iparts which willbe Aexemplied in the constructions hereinafter 1described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the fappendedfclaims.

`Ingthe.accompanying drawings in which vare shown `various possibleembodiments of the in- '-vention:

Fig. 1 is aside/,elevational vewof a pairof lampfholders ,embodyingthe invention, the same -ibeingi mounted on the wallsof 'an `electric fixture which face the ends of a fluorescent electric discharge lamp;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the same constituting a front or face view of one of the lamp holders;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view through the lamp holder, the same being taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal central sectional view through the lamp holder, the same being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical View through the lamp holder at one of the lamp pin channels, the same being taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating the lamp holder as it appears when swung outward during insertion of a lamp;

Fig. '7 is a front view of the mounting member as it appears when the socket member has been removed;

Fig. 8 is a top view of the mounting member;

Fig. 9 is a back view of the socket member as it appears when removed from the mounting member;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a contact as it appears apart from the mounting and socket members; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are views similar to Figs. 5 and 10, respectively, of a lamp holder embodying a modified form of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 10, the reference numeral denotes a conventional fluorescent electric discharge lamp mounted by means of a pair of lamp holders 22, 24 between a pair of opposed walls 26, 28 which may, for example comprise the opposite end walls of a lighting fixture. The lamps are of the incandescent lament type, and each has a pair of projecting contact pins 29 on both ends thereof which, as is usual in the lighting field, are adapted to be coupled removably with the lamp holders 22, 24 to provide electric power and physical support for the lamp. Both of the lamp holders are of identical construction so that only one lamp holder will be described in detail.

Said lamp holder essentially includes only three kinds of parts. These are: a mounting member 30, a body or socket member 32, and a contact member 34.

The mounting member 30, which preferably is molded from a plastic electrically non-conductive material, and desirably from a thermo-setting material, such for instance as a phenol formaldehyde condensation product, comprises a block, the surface of which facing the lamp is formed with a deep recess 36, The lower end of this recess opens through the bottom wall of the block. The upper end of the recess terminates short of the top wall of the block (see Fig. 7). However, a portion of said top wall is undercut to provide a passageway 38 providing access to the base of the recess 36 throughsaid top wall. Due to this construction, the topwall of the block in the vicinity of the recess 36 comprises a bridging bar 40 located on the'front surface of said block.

The two side walls 42, 44 of the recess 36 extend vertically and are at and parallel to one another. The base wall 46 of the recess is provided with a pair of broad shallow indentations 48, 50, one adjacent each side wall 44,42 respectively. The bottom ends of said indentations are dened by low flanges 52 forming shoulders 54 (see Fig. 5). The upper ends of said indentations are dened by another set of flanges 5B. These iianges may be provided with cut away portions 58 approximately large enough and deep enough to accommodate one half of a conventional lead-in wire for the lamp holder. Two through apertures 6U pierce the base wall of the recess 36, one of these apertures being located in each of the shallow indentations. These apertures each are large enough to pass a lamp holder lead-in wire. The block also includes a pair of downwardly projecting toes 62 on opposite sides of the recess 36, said toes having their front surfaces flush with the front surface of the block, and their rear surfaces inset from the rear surface of the block as best seen in Figs. 1 and 8. In addition to the foregoing, the block is fashioned with a pair of front-to-back through bores 64 whose forward ends are located in notches 66.

The various openings, recesses and the like, above described with respect to the mounting member, have divers functions which will become apparent as this description proceeds.

The socket or body member 32 preferably is molded from an electrically non-conductive material similar to that employed for fabricating the mounting member. Said socket likewise comprises a block fabricated to a certain desirable shape. The block is somewhat elongated vertically as seen in Fig. 9. It has a central portion 63 of its front face which is flat, this portion being designed to be substantially flush with the front surface of the mounting member when the lamp holder has a lamp end disposed against the same (see Fig. 5). The upper end of the socket member has an integral upstanding flange l0 set back from the front face. This flange is adapted to extend through the passageway 38 and is slightly narrower than the passageway so that it is able to rock therein. The front wall of the flange slopes rearwardly to a slight extent in a downward direction whereby to limit to a very narrow area (in effect, a line), the pivotal contact between this Wall and the front wall of the passageway 38 and thus reduce the frictional force opposing rocking of the socket member.

The socket member has a pair of deep indentations 12 running downwardly from approximately the horizontal center thereof, said indentations being disposed on opposite sides of the socket, and, in effect, constituting lateral setbacks. That is to say, one wall of each indentation is lacking. The indentations run down from laterally disposed notches 14 which extend in a front-to-back direction through the socket. The lower ends of the indentations 12 have their base walls sloping toward the rear surface of the lamp holder as best seen in Fig. 5. In addition, the indentations converge toward one another as they approach the bottom tip 15 of the socket. In the aforesaid region where the indentations converge, the front face of the socket slopes toward the rear of the lamp holder,` said sloping portion being indicated by thenumeral 16.

The at central portion 63 ofthe front face of the socket is approximately equal "inlieight to the vertical dimension of the' recess 36 beneath the bar 40, and the width of the 'socket is just slightly less than the width of said recess, so that said socket member can be freely received in the recess and yet will substantially fill the same. The depth of the socket vmember is somewhat less than the depth of the recess, but it soon will be seen that means is provided to bias the socket accepte memberA toward its 'outward position wfheizein Yits front face is :substantially coplana wi-thlthe Ifront face of the-mount-ing member.. Moreover, the heightfof :the flange V1l) is substantially equal to that of the bar 4D (see Fig'. 3) soithat this flange' will not protrude noticeably'above vthe mounting member."

When thesocket member is disposed the and principally the part co-extensivef withA the rearwardly sloping portion 16, lwill protrude beneath the main part of the mountingmember which terminates at the bases of the toes 362,. The socket member includes al pair of wings 80 wider than the balance of the socket member, said wings being adapted to abut against the back faces of the toes 62 so as to limit the forward motion of the socket member. The rearward motion of thev socket member is limited by abutment of the back wall of said socket mem-ber against the'flange 52.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated'lthat the socket member and mounting member are so mutually constructed as to jointly provide a rela tive pivotingaction, and it therefore is not'nece'ssary to employ an additional member or mechanism to function as apivot relative to which the support and socket member'can oscillate.

Two contact members 34 are employed, each being formed from resilient electrically conductive sheet metal stock. Each contact 'member in cludes a shank 82 and leg'84 which are formed in one piece, being joined to one anotherby a 180 yreturn bend 86 so that the shank and leg are parallel if lnot stressed. illustrated herein, the leg 84 is slotted as 4at y88 from its, free end all the way Vback to. the shank, thus dividing the leg into two parallel elements'. This arrangement is employed to increase" the flexibility of the legs and for another purpose which will later be pointed out,`

.The two contact members are disposed in th recess 36, the shank j82 of each being located vin a different one of the shallow inclentati'ons 48.

50, and being disposed substantially llat 'against I the ibase wall of such indentation (see Figj'l'. The bend 8B and leg 84 are located within troughs 98 fashioned in the back surface of the socket member. vTwo such troughs are providedfonel yfor theleg 84 ofV each Acontact member', and the troughs are-separated by'a thinpartitionSZ. The contact members are `fashioned tof-such" dimerisions that, when the'sock'et.meinberllsthe-reL abuttedagainst the shoulder 54, theT-top yCif-'the Optionally,` and `as .z

resilient material 'from' :which: theW contact imem'- bers are fabxicatedfdoes not prevent pivotalm'ov men-t ofthesocketmember relative to the mount.- ingimemberabout the ange'l and bar 40.

Moreover, 'due 'tothe resilient ynature `of the contact member and the fact that, if -uncon strained, thefleg 8.4 and shank' 82 are parallelY to one another, 4saidcontact.j-rriembers serve to bias thesockt memberto its forward'position in which the wings 82 abut against the back of the toes l62. It is' to'obtainl such resilient biasing' action that the wallofthejtrough is sloped rearwardly, thus deectingthelle'g 84 from 'its unconstrained vposition shown in Fig. 10. The lower edges of'said legs 84 terminate at'the -bottom edge 98 of `the trough 'so'that said legs lie immediately7 in back of the`throghlnotches 'i4-whereby the legs vare imposition' to'be' electrically engaged'by the tips of `theflamfp Contact pins'29.' Due to the -fact that said leg is slotted, only'one of its'elemen'ts will bie'ngaged tand"depressed 'by a lamp' pinas seen in Figs. `4'- a nd"'=5. Thus', there-is `no dangerof lthe :bend .86 bein'gfd-istorted' to suchV an 'extent that it will permit anyA downward Ymovement `whatsoever of .the socket member.

The various partsfof the lamp'holder are as'- sembledlandused els-follows: A pair of contact members? are v'placed *in 'the shallow indentationjs 48,50. Thnth'e Vsocket memberE'Z is introduced into the recess"3,6`5a'nd`the flange'' directed toward thefpa's'sageway `38 While th'esocket member is held inelined'tvith' respect to the' mounting member.' The socl'ifetj` member Athen is pressedl down to force' the-bends 86 of 'the vtwo contacts into the troughsl" As lthe flange' 1!) enters `the passageway@ thetwo contact members will "be pushed'rearwardly until the free ends ofthe shanks'BZ sn'ap'over theshouldersll and fully into Atheshallow 'indentations '48, '50.Y Thereupon, the socket member and`mounting'-member will be locked together'a'nd 'cannot be taken apart except by the use of special xtures which enable the contact-.members v`to 'have their Shanks and legs flexed towards one another while at'thesame time the socket member is rocked'and pulled in adirecti'on awayfrom the passageway 38.

Iasmuch ythelam'pi'holder cannot be taken apart'in ythelfeld,` 'the ysame `is provided with lead-4 i-n :wires l DU' by the 'rnanuffacturer.` 'I'heselead-in wires havefthejinsulation stripped'from one end thereof to' expose the central'conductor whichis secured to' a y contact meniber permanently in suitable' fashion." Because of the -relatively small sizeof vthe lamp holder, and the small space-in whichthecontaot'members are designed to t, the leadf-w'ires'lierein are shown as soldered to the contact members (see Fig. 1.0). In therst described form offmy invention each contact membejs provided-withathrough opening |02 in Vits' shank" thro-fieri lwhich the lead-1n wire passes; he oir-nonna of the lead wire weg-.1r sieesigaee i be' employed reconnect the .el'eotiiri'eireut extends per-f heba'ckof Athe shank'?. l i from the lamp holder througnlone. Qfftheopenings' '60; I

VIn-the modified form of my invention shownfin Figs' Iliana" 1-2,=-the' lamp .holder its isideiucal :iamp'hoider .22 described'ewith respecte@- Ik" MvHc'WeV'ei; tfhe "lead'ifn wires instead' bakof'the'socket,through s et" ou away ons 58 "ve three 'the top yof the* observedt" nie.

back surface of the socket'member 32 is provided with cut away portions |05 to match the cut away portions 58 and provide full size passageways for the lead-in wires. Conveniently, the lead-in wires IUD in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12 may pass through the slots I88 in the contact member.

In both forms of the invention the lamp holder is held in place by attaching means such as long shank screws |08 which pass through the openings B4.

It thus will be seen that I have provided lamp holders which achieve the several objects of my invention and are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in' the embodiments above yset forth, it will be understood thatl all matter contained herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lamp holder of the character described for mounting on a support a lamp having at least one contact pin at each end thereof, said lamp holder comprising a mounting member adapted to be secured to a support, a socket member, cooperating means on said socket member and said mounting member for pivotally interengaging said socket member and mounting member, and a contact member lying between said mounting member and said socket member, said Contact member being located in a position transversely offset from the axis of rotation of the pivotal engagement, said conta-ct member being resilient and bearing against said mounting member and socket member so as to urge the same apart, said socket member having an aperture therein to receive a pin at one end of the lamp, said aperture extending through said socket member to said contact member so that said Contact member can touch a lamp pin in said aperture.

2. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooperating means -on the socket member and the mounting member for pivotally interengaging said members comprises a ange carried by one of said members and an opening in the other member into which the flange extends, said member carrying the flange having an abutment adj jacent the flange which bears against the other member adjacent the opening, the surfaces of both said members which face one another having indentations therein in which portions of the contact member are seated whereby relative movement of said rst two mentioned members in a direction withdrawing the flange from the opening is prevented.

3. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the mounting member and another portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the socket member, said abutments being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pivotal interengaging means whereby the contact member captively se cures the socket member and mounting member together.

4. A lamp holder of the character described for mounting on a support a lamp having at least one contact pin at each end thereof, said lamp holder comprising a mounting member adapted to be secured to a support, said mounting member having a deep recess in thefront face thereof, a socket memberin saidrecess, cooperating means on said socket member and said mounting member for pivotally interengaging said socket member and mounting member, and a contact member disposed in said recess and lying between said mounting member and said socket member, said contact member being located in a position transversely offset from the axis of rotation of the pivotal engagement, said contact member being resilient and bearing against said mounting member and socket member so as to urge the same apart, said socket member having an aperture therein to receive a pin at one end of the lamp, said aperture extending through said socket member to said contact member so that said contact member can touch a lamp pin in said aperture.

5. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the socket member and mounting member are provided with cooperating abutment means which limit the outward movement of the socket member away from the mounting member.

5. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the socket member and mounting member are provided with cooperating abutment means which limit the outward movement of the socket member away from the mounting member and wherein the contact member is under compression when said abutting means contact one another.

7. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the socket member and mounting member are provided with cooperating abutment means which limit the outward movement of the socket member away from the mounting member and wherein the front face of the socket member is approximately flush with the front face of the mounting member when said abutting means contact one another.

8. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein a portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the mounting member and another portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the socket member, said abutments being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pivotal interengaging means whereby the contact member captively secures the socket member and mounting member together. 9. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein a portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the mounting member and another portion of the contact member rests against an abutment on the socket member, said abutments being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pivotal interengaging means, the abutment member on the socket member being closer to said axis than the abutment member on the mounting member, whereby the contact member captively secures the socket member and mounting member together.

10. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the interengaging means for effecting relative pivotal movement of the socket member and mounting member comprises a bar across one end of the recess and a projection on the associated end of the mounting member extending through :the space under the bar.

11. A lamp holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the cooperating means on the socket member and the mounting member for pivotally interengaging said members comprises a Iiange carried by one of said members and an opening in the other member into which the ange extends, said member carrying the flange having an abutment adjacent the ange which bears against the other member adjacent the opening, the surfaces of both said members which face one another have ing indentations therein in which portions of the contact member are seated whereby relative movement of said rst two mentioned members in a direction withdrawing the ange from the opening is prevented.

ARTHUR A. RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Osterloo May 19, 1942 Dansereau July 16, 1946 Richardson Feb. 17, 1948 

